No abstract available.
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation* ; Heparin*

No abstract available.
Methotrexate* ; Skin*

CD44 is a hyaluronic acid receptor that exists as a standard 90-kd form (CD44H) as well as several CD44 variants isoforms are produced through alternative splicing. Alternatively spliced variants of the CD44 molecule have been found to be associated with invasive and metastatic potential of cancer cells and poor prognosis in several types of carcinoma. The purpose of the present study is to define the expression of CD44H and CD44v6 in ovarian tumors and to investigate whether the expression of these molecules is associated with adverse prognosis. We evaluated the expression of CD44 isoforms in 58 ovarian tumors by means of immunohistochemistry, and correlated between CD44 expression and the histologic types, tumor grade, peritoneal implants, pseudomyxoma peritonei and FIGO stage. While the CD44H was commonly expressed in ovarian tumors, the CD44v6 was expressed in a minor proportion of serous tumors in comparison with frequent expression of v6 isoform in mucinous tumors. The CD44H expression was significantly higher in stage I/II than in stage III. However, there was no correlation between the expression of CD44 and the presence of peritoneal implants or pseudomyxoma peritonei. These results suggest that CD44H could play an important role in the adhesive function in the lower stage of the ovarian tumor and reduced expression in the higher stage might be related to the metastasis and widespread invasion of ovarian carcinoma cells.
Adhesives ; Alternative Splicing ; Female ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mucins ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Ovary ; Prognosis ; Protein Isoforms ; Pseudomyxoma Peritonei

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic approaches to the anterior abdominal wall are difficult because of the inherent limitations of laparoscopic surgery. METHODS: A 25-year-old young female visited to our hospital with an incidentally-found palpable abdominal mass. Computed tomography revealed a 7-cm round enhancing mass arising from the left posterior rectus sheath. The patient underwent laparoscopic excision of the inner mass arising from the anterior abdominal wall. RESULTS: The operation lasted for 45 minutes and there was no measurable bleeding during the procedure. Pathological assessment revealed that the tumor was a DTF 7.0 cm in size. The patient was discharged on the second postoperative day in good condition, and is currently being followed on a routine basis for surveillance without adjuvant therapy. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic approach for the anterior abdominal wall tumor could be feasible in select patients. This minimally-invasive approach helps to ensure good cosmetic outcomes and quality of life.
Abdominal Wall* ; Adult ; Female ; Fibroma* ; Fibromatosis, Abdominal ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Quality of Life

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to assess the efficacy of routine ultrasonographic prediction of macrosomic fetal weight, to determine its influences on subsequent delivery type and to assess perinatal outcome by delivery type. METHODS: The hospital records of 177 patients delivered infants weighing > or =4000gm between January 1997 and December 1998 were reviewed. Statistical comparisons were made between patients in whom fetal macrosomia was predicted before delivery(n=71) and those in whom it was not(n=106) and between the perinatal outcomes for macrosomic fetuses delivered vaginally and by cesarean section. The statistical analysis was performed by student-t test, and Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: The fetuses were consecutive singleton fetuses in vertex presentation delivered at a single institute. The sensitivity for identifying macrosomic fetus(birth weight >4000gm) with an estimated weight of > or =4000gm was 40%, Overall 60% of the infants had birth weights within 10% of the ultrasonographic estimates and 29% had birth weights within 5% of the ultrasonographic estimates. Cesarean sections were performed in 69% of the 'predicted' group and in 35% of the 'not predicted' group(69% vs 35%, p<0.0001, Fisher's exact test). Predicated group were more likely to be performed by elective cesarean section(48% vs 19%, p<0.0001, Fisher's exact test) and more like due to failed progress at<4cm cervical dilatation(27% vs 7%, p<0.05, Fisher's exact test). The proportion of patients delivered by cesarean section for failed progress at > or =4cm cervical dilatation was similar in the predicted and not predicted groups(19% vs 12%, NS). There was no significant difference in the incidences of the occurrence of birth trauma. CONCLUSION: There appears to be a limitation to obtain estimation of fetal weight by ultrasonography. The antenatal prediction of fetal macrosomia is associated with a marked increase in cesarean deliveries without a significant reduction in the incidence of fetal injury
Birth Weight ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Fetal Macrosomia ; Fetal Weight* ; Fetus ; Hospital Records ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Labor Stage, First ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Ultrasonography*

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate the effect of epidural anesthesia on labor course. METHODS: Between January 1998 and December 1998, we evaluated pregnant women at term with singleton fetus in vertex presentation and with spontaneous onset of labor at our hospital. Comparison of 120 women (100 cases of primiparous women, 20 cases of multiparous women) who received epidural anesthesia in labor with 120 women (100 cases of primiparous women, 20 cases of multiparous women) who did not receive epidural anesthesia was performed. Adverse pregnancy outcomes were obtained from hospital delivery records and neonatal records. Statistical analysis were performed by Student's t-test and Chi square test. RESULTS: The results of this study were as followings; 1. There was no significant difference in mean age, body weight, height, and gestational age between epidural anesthesia group and control group (P>0.05). 2. The frequency of oxytocin augmentation was significantly greater in the primiparous epidural anesthetic group than in primiparous control group (p<0.05). 3. The effect of epidural anesthesia on the first stage of labor revealed no significant difference in both group. 4. Prolongation of second stage of labor was noticed in nullipara of epidural anesthesia group compared to control group (p<0.05). 5. The incidence of instrumental delivery was significantly increased in the primiparous epidural group than in the primiparous control group(p<0.05). 6. The meconium-stained amnionic fluid, Apgar score and birth weight were similar in both groups. 7. The maternal blood loss was similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Epidural anesthesia, significantly prolongs second stage of labor in induced patients. While instrumental delivery was more prevalent in these parturients, C-section rate and intra-partum complications were not increased in these patients.
Amnion ; Anesthesia, Epidural* ; Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Body Weight ; Female ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Oxytocin ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnant Women

The advent of the global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) necessitates a thorough study of the stability and transmissibility in the environment. We characterized the stability of SARS-CoV-2 in three water matrices: fresh, tap, and seawater. The minimum infective dose of SARS-CoV-2 in Vero cells was confirmed to be 10 3 PFU/mL. The stability of SARS-CoV-2 varied according to the water matrix: infective SARSCoV-2 was undetectable after treatment with fresh water and seawater, but remained detectable for 2 days in tap water, when starting with an initial concentration of 10 4 PFU/mL. When the starting concentration was increased to 10 5 PFU/mL, a similar trend was observed. In addition, viral RNA persisted longer than infectious virus in all water matrices. This study was conducted in stagnant water containing a significantly high titer of virus, thus, human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through the actual aquatic environment is expected to be rare.

BACKGROUND: PTCA is often unsuccessful in a patient with chronic total occlusion of coronary arteries with success rates varying from 60 to 70%. Success rates are related to the duration of total occlusion, longer occlusions being associated with lower success rates. Chronic total occlusion may be associated with thrombi superimposed on the stenotic lesion. We used an intra-coronary bolus of urokinase followed by a prolonged urokinase infusion in an attempt to lyse the lesion and allow for passage of the PTCA wire during subsequent angioplasty. The purpose of prolonged durokinase infusion was to reduce the clot sufficiently to recanalize the coronary artery and make it more amenable to PTCA. METHODS: Study patients: We were included six patients who developed total occlusion for more than 3 weeks and good collateral channels of Grade 2 or more and previous attempts at angioplaty had failed. Procedures: All patients underwent dual catheter system and incremental dose protocol of intracoronary urokinase infusion. RESULTS: The mean duration of occlusion was calculated to be 65.3+/-2.7 weeks and urokinase dose ranged from 130,000 to 200,000U/hr and treatment lasted 21.7+/-1.4 hours in our study. The prolonged urokinase infusion resulted in reperfusion of the occluded dvessel in 5 of the 6 patients(83%), with or without the complementary balloon inflation. One patient failed to recanalize the occluded vessel because cardiac tamponade was developed during the prolonged urokinase infusion. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the prolonged urokinase infusion in occluded coronary artery appeared to increase the likelihood of successful PTCA in patients with chronic total occlusion of coronary arteries.Also, in carefully selected patients, prolonged urokinase infusion in occluded coronary artery was relatively safe and well tolerated.
Angioplasty ; Cardiac Tamponade ; Catheters ; Coronary Vessels* ; Humans ; Inflation, Economic ; Reperfusion ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator*

To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of transthoracic fine needle aspiration cytology(TFNAC) in the preoperative diagnosis of pulmonary nodules, a retrospective analysis was carried out on a consecutive series of 200 TFNACs. They included 186 primary malignant tumors, 66 squamous cell carcinomas, 65 adenocarcinomas, 36 small cell carcinomas, 7 large cell carcinomas, 4 carcinoids, 8 others, 9 metastatic tumors, and 5 benign tumors. On cytohistologic correlation of malignant pulmonary tumors, the pro- cedure had a sensitivity of 97.3% and a specificity of 100%. A 86.6% correct correlation between the cytologic and histologic diagnoses was achieved. Five out of the 7 undifferentiated large cell carcinomas, 10 out of the 65 adenocarcinomas, 2 out of the 36 small cell carcinomas, and 2 out of the 66 squamous cell carcinomas were turned out to be mistyped in cytologic diagnosis. We concluded that TFNAC is a highly sensitive and specific preoperative diagnostic procedure in the investigation of patients with discrete pulmonary nodules in whom the specific cell type of the malignant neoplasm has important implications in treatment modality and prognosis.
Adenocarcinoma ; Bezafibrate ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoid Tumor ; Carcinoma, Large Cell ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Diagnosis ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Female ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis* ; Kidney* ; Natural History* ; Papanicolaou Test ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Mothers* ; Thrombocytopenia